The present invention relates generally to activity toys and more particularly to a child's toy which allows the child to roll flexible sheet material into tubular structural members for use in assembling various shapes.
Prior art devices for rolling newspapers or other flexible material into logs for burning in a fireplace are known. Examples of such known paper log rollers are as follows: U.S. Pat. No. 3,936,007, issued Feb. 3, 1976. This patent discloses the use of a base on which there is mounted a spindle for rotation by a crank parallel to the base as well as movement perpendicular to the base. The perpendicular movement of the spindle is opposed by springs. U.S. Pat. No. 3,958,499, issued May 25, 1976, discloses a framework having a pair of vertical standards with bearing means at their upper ends. A crank arm extends through the bearing means and has an elongated shank portion. Newspapers draped over the shank portion of the crank are clamped in position and cranked to form a rolled section of newspapers. The rolled section may be tied in place and then a pin is removed from the end of the shank to allow the entire roll to be slipped off the shank. U.S. Pat. No. 3,964,373, issued June 22, 1976, discloses spaced apart end frames having an upwardly opening pan extending between and supported by the end frames. The pan is of semi-annular cross-section and contains leaf springs to apply force upwardly against material being wound on the shaft which is rotatably mounted between the end frames. In addition, the shaft may be withdrawn endwise from the end frames. U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,564, issued Jan. 17, 1978, discloses end plates and a central winding roller which is tapered and grooved and includes a crank arm at its larger end. The roller is removeably inserted between the end plates and includes further spring urged rollers floating in oblong slots in the end plates. The further rollers apply constant pressure to the central winding roller in three different directions against materials being rolled therein. Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,226, issued Mar. 11, 1980, discloses a deflectable table and an idler bar, both adapted for bearing against sheet material being rolled by means of turning a crank held in a frame.
None of the above discussed U.S. patents discloses apparatus having separate, slotted tubes for rolling flexible materials into elongated tubular structural members for use in completing various shapes.